Introduction
Trần Tiến is a musician closely associated with the singer-songwriter style, with the idea that du means to go and ca means to perform the things one wishes for. His compositions are not confined to one fixed theme, but often share a common point of genuine emotion and deep experience.
Career and activities
Musician Trần Tiến is known for many familiar songs in Vietnamese musical life such as Về đi em, Giấc mơ Chapi, Ngọn lửa cao nguyên, Lá diêu bông, Ngẫu hứng sông Hồng, Quê nhà, Mặt trời bé con, Phố nghèo. According to press records, these songs were once associated with Trần Tiến's own voice and have also been performed by many other artists such as People's Artist Trần Hiếu, Tùng Dương, Trần Thu Hà.
In a sharing with Tuổi Trẻ newspaper, musician Trần Tiến said that the singer-songwriter style resonates with the community about love and the country, unlike stage performance. He said: "Wherever I go I write there, that is one way of my singing and wandering. I see something and write it with my soul and my heart, especially my heart." Also according to this article, he expressed the view that an artist who does not have the courage to say all the things he sees, and who goes out to sing only to have a name and earn money, is fine but is not an artist.
The inspiration for writing the song Mặt trời bé con, as shared by musician Trần Tiến, came from poor labourers who had never seen him sing on stage because they had no money to buy tickets. He said he likes to sing for people who have no money to buy tickets, and considered that these are the people who truly love him.
Regarding recent performance activities, musician Trần Tiến is the first guest in the programme series Trần - Nguyễn du ca made by musician and singer Jimmii Nguyễn. Jimmii Nguyễn said this project had been nurtured for about 20 years. Due to his age (nearly 80) and limited mobility, musician Trần Tiến cannot take part throughout the project, but said he will join the first episode in Hà Nội and hopes to join many more. The first programme is expected to take place on the evening of 19-1-2025 in front of the Hà Nội Opera House. In the programme, he said he will sing adapted folk songs and the song Mặt trời bé con composed by himself.
Compositional characteristics and assessments from colleagues
According to comments by singer Bách Nguyễn on Báo Văn hóa điện tử, musician Trần Tiến carries the manner of a romantic, elegant Hà Nội, yet is also approachable and profound. Meritorious Artist Tấn Minh, director of the Thăng Long Song and Dance Theatre, commented that musician Trần Tiến and singer Bách Nguyễn share many things in common such as a weathered look, indifference and full masculinity. Singer Tùng Dương assessed that Bách Nguyễn's baritone timbre suits Trần Tiến's music, and that Trần Tiến's songs, when performed in a rustic, everyday style, have created a familiar Trần Tiến space.
The article in Tuổi Trẻ also recalled musician Trần Tiến's sharing that he was famous for writing many songs on commission, and explained that under his pen nothing can be hired, everything is flesh and blood.